Motor vehicle hoist



Nov. 9, 1937. J. D. HANDLEY MOTOR VEHICLE HOIST Filed June 22, 1936 FIG-2.

y his aff'nyey Patented Nov. 1937 ree STA Application June 22, 1936,Serial No. 86,572 In Great Britain December 11, 1935 3 Claims.

This invention relates to vehicle hoists or lifts of the type employedin garages and. service stations for raising motor vehicles off theground to facilitate their inspection, servicing and repair.

5 Such hoists or lifts usually comprise a structure embodying a pair ofrunway platforms on to which the vehicle to be raised is run; and thehoist is elevated as by power-driven screw mechanism, or more commonlyby a central hydraulic l0 ram operated from an air-pressure plant.

According to the present invention there is incorporated with thevehicle hoist or lift a system of electric lighting serving toilluminate the vehicle on the hoist. The lighting fitments are attachedto or built into the hoist, and constitute a permanent attachment orinstallation thereof.

The hoist lighting system is intended primarily for illuminating theunderside of the vehicle on the hoist. For this purpose a series ofelectric lamps may be fitted to the usual runway platforms of thehydraulic or other type of hoist, the lamps being disposed along theinsides of the platforms, so that the light therefrom is directedupwards on to the underside of the vehicle. Ad-

ditional lamps may also be fitted to the cross girder or other structuresupporting the platforms. By thus employing a comparatively large numberof lamps a strong and uniform lighting over the whole of the vehiclebase area can be obtained.

In one embodiment of the invention the wiring for the lamps is housed inconduits run under the platforms and across the support girders; and itis led to a pair of plug-in sockets disposed at opposite ends of thehoist, by means of one or other of which the hoist lighting system maybe connected to the ordinary mains supply through a cable to a wall plugor connector. The individual lamps are carried by swivelling bracketsfixed to the underside of the platforms, the brackets enabling the lampsto be turned outwards from beneath the platforms into position forthrowing a light upwards under the vehicle on the hoist.

The conduit and bracket fitments of the electrical system may be readilyincorporated in an existing hoist.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanyingdrawing, in which:

Fig. l is a somewhat diagrammatic plan view of a hydraulic type of motorvehicle hoist incorporating an electric lighting system;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged end view of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a side view of aswivelling lamp bracket. The hoist shown in the drawing is provided withthe usual pair of side runway platforms I, on

Disposed under and near the insides of the platforms, and also on thesupport structure 3, is a series of swivelling lamp brackets 5, by meansof which the lamps it may be swung out from a protected position underthe platforms in order to throw a light upwards and so illuminate the?underside of the vehicle on the hoist. The brackets consist of a tubularelbow piece 6, at one end threaded and socketed on to the stem 1 of a T-shaped conduit connector, on which the bracket is adapted to swivel andto which it is frictionally gripped by a spring l 6; while at the otherend of the elbow piece 6 is formed an annular cup 9, on which is fitteda holder for an electric lamp Ill. In order to protectthe lamp againstbreakage, and also against the deposit of oil, which would otherwise beliable to form a hard'oil-" baked film owing to the heat of the lampbulb, the lamp is enclosed within a glass sleeve ll fitting at one endinto the bracket cup 9 and closed at its outer end by a cup-shaped capl2. The cup 9 and cap 12 are formed with lugs l3 receiving the ends of apair of tie rods l t, the outer and projecting ends of which arethreaded to receive retaining nuts 23. The ends of the glass sleeve llare preferably butted against rubber or fibre ring washers l5 in thecups 9 and I2.

The wiring for the lamps, which are connected in parallel and may be ofrelatively low wattage, is enclosed in conduits l8 run along theunderside of the platforms l close to the inside flanges 2, the Tconnectors 8 carrying the lamp brackets 5 being positioned on the hoistas indicated in Fig. 1, four on each platform and'two on opposite sidesof the girder structure 3. Figs. 2 and 3, the brackets 5 are pivoted formovement about a vertical axis, so that they may be turned outwardsclear of the platforms and thereby allow the light from the lamps ill tobe thrown upwards under the vehicle.

One or more lamps may also if desired be fitted to fixed or hingedextension arms in order to direct light under the centre of the vehicle.

The wiring system H for the lamps in is run to a pair of plug-in socketsI9 fitted under the platforms at opposite ends of the hoist, by means ofone or other of which the lighting system may As shown in be connectedthrough a cable 20 to a wall switch or connector 2! in circuit with theordinary mains supply, or with a low-voltage source. The provision ofthe two connectors 19 enables the mains supply being tapped from bothends of the hoist, which is of advantage when the hoist is rotated, inthat only a short cable 20 is then necessary.

The arrangement just described is particularly suitable for fitment toan existing hoist.

The ordinary method of illuminating the underside of a motor vehicle ona garage hoist or lift is by means of a hand inspection lamp fitted toan extension cable connected to the mains supply. This has manydisadvantages; the lamp gives only a localized light; the operator hasto carry the lamp about with him, and hold or position it at the placewhere he is working; rough handling leads to frequent bulb breakages;and a long length of cable is necessary, which is liable to becomeentangled or broken, and which through being dragged over the groundbecomes dirty and oil-soaked, impairing the insulation.

These disadvantages are obviated by incorporating an electric lightingsystem as a permanent installation of the hoist. A strong and uniformlight is provided over a large area, and the operator has both handsfree for working. Except for the short cable 20, which is held up wellclear of the ground, there is. no loose wiring or cable, andconsequently the movements of the operator or other persons areunrestricted. In addition, the conduit casing l8 completely protects thecables l1, and if the wiring should become broken or the insulationdefective, the system will be earthed through the conduits and the hoiststructure, so preventing the possibility of shocks.

Although the invention has been described with reference to a hydraulictype of hoist, it is not limited to this application, and may beincorporated in the several other types of hoists or lifts employed ingarages and service stations for facilitating the inspection, servicingand repair of motor vehicles.

I claim:

1. A motor vehicle hoist of the type referred to, wheel platformsthereon on to which the vehicle to be raised is run, a series ofelectric lamps fitted to the platforms and serving to illuminate theunderside of the vehicle on the hoist, said lamps being carried bybrackets fixed on the underside of the platforms, the brackets beingmounted for swivelling movement to enable their being turned from aprotected position under the platforms into a position for illuminatingthe underside of the vehicle, a wiring system connecting said series oflamps to a connector element on the hoist, said wiring system beinghoused in conduits fixedly secured to the platforms, and a source ofelectric current supply tapped from the connector on the hoist, saidseries of lamps-and Wiring system comprising a permanent installation ofthe hoist.

2. A motor vehicle hoist of the type referred to, wheel platformsthereon on to which the vehicle to be raised is run, a series ofelectric lamps fitted to the platforms and serving to illuminate thevehicle on the hoist, said lamps being carried by brackets fixed on theunderside of the platforms, the brackets being mounted for swivellingmovement about a vertical axis to enable their being turned from aprotected position under the platforms into a position for illuminatingthe underside of the vehicle, each such bracket comprising anelbow-piece at one end socketed for swivelling movement on a verticalspigot and at its other end provided with a lamp socket, a wiring systemconnecting said series of lamps to a connector on the hoist, said seriesof lamps and said wiring system comprising a permanent installation ofthe hoist, conduits fixedly secured.

